The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1887-02-01
,,..a: III; the Farmers.

In Gen. Hrndrrsor's lrr"r', as Tor
ward,l by our excellent atlanta cor
r%cspondont, G1r. +. Is. Hook, there Is
II statement that tells. in brief hut COM
prchcnsive shape. what ais the South
rrn farmer more than anything else. 1t
is not the tariff so much, nor yet the
Federal taxation, hut n vicious credit
:ySt2m that produces the most trcmend-
Gus usury Of modern lines. we are
tod that FOR corr and bacon the farmers
of Georgia who bought on time paid f"r
such supplies AZ per cent. on the one
and 34.9 per cent. on the other, at four
months, being equivalent respectively to
126 and 1O4 per cent. per mum.
The people of Georgia can feed them
selves if they choose. They can raise
sufficient corn not only for home con
sumption, but for meat production. 1t
is q patent fact that, for some reason or
other. chiefly because of the cotton craze
presumably, they keep their corn-cribs
and slnoke-houses largely at the West,
and so, not only allow millions Of dollars
to be sent out Of the State that ought to
remain there, but submit to n credit and
commission charge that realizes Mr..
Stephens graphic description of how
there is annually an inevitable sizing
and seizing Of the farmers pile by the
factor, who 'allows just enough hide to
remain on his mule to make another
crop" Nor can the agricultural people
help being poor when trading on terms
that mean bankruptcy from the start.
If our far do not live within
themselves reasonably but continue, rs
a rule, to pay cxnctions that would beg
gar any people, they cannot hope to
prosper. AS far as possible. they should
Feed themselves. As far as possible,
they should practice thrift and frugality,
avoiding debt as a devil. 1t is not the
purchase Of corn alone, nor bncon alone
from abroad hat keeps the farmer poor.
There arc many other things, chiefly
mules and horses. in the same category.
Our planters, MS a rule, accumulate moth
ing because they send their surplus
wealth production East and West, by
intermediary channels. The day those
leaks arc stopped and what supplies are
ilnpcrat:vely needed are procured on a
cash basis, there vii! he an awakening
aud Il boom III the Southern agriculture
quite as substantial, more so perhaps.
y few days ago, we convcrsrd with a
gentleman OF varied accomplishments,
.who has taken high rank professionally
and automatically. lie sighed for Il
cotton plantation and said: You will be
surprised I: this statement, but | am a
.%Scirn,i. c farmer and love the life OF nm
."sricuiturist. There is money in cotton
planting, little Us you may think so.'
<Qucricd further as to why he did not re-
.alize his desire, the answer came
promptly thus: 40 be successful as a
farmer one must have capital and buy
for cash whatever may be needed. Credit
AMI commission, as practiced at the South,
mem ruin to the planter in the and. If
ready money be Aladdin's lamp, the want
Of it is not only payment Of the pound of
flesh, but Stubhiug tn the heart Farm
FRS at the South who are in want or
crippled. are either the victim Of usury
or Fnlsc systems of culture, or both"
II somebody devise a protective policy
and carry it into execution whereby the
farmers Of Georgia could feed and equip
themselves and other residents Of the
State. there would he no special cla,nor
against the tariff or ever Federal taxa
ton for pensions. As it is, the payment
OF enormous interest and commissions
is wla: principally ails the farmer, MS
General Henderson demonstrates.-1u-
gusta Chronicle.